Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for federal fiscal year (FY) 2026
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-CLASSIC-26-NOFO000145
- Agency
-
National Resources Conservation Service
Department of Agriculture
- Applications due
- Award size
- $250,000 to $10,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Not on record
- Category
-
- Agriculture
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- For Profit Organizations
- Special District Governments
- Tribal Organizations (Not Federally Recognized)
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Independent School Districts
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Small Businesses
- City/Township Governments
- County Governments
- State Governments
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service seeks applicants for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for fiscal year 2026, with proposals due August 24, 2026 at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Up to $310 million is available through this announcement and a concurrent Alternative Funding Arrangement announcement; lead partners must structure projects with a $250,000 minimum and $10 million maximum per award.
Eligible lead partners include agricultural producer associations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, farmer cooperatives, water districts, institutions of higher education, conservation organizations with documented producer engagement history, land trust entities, and conservation districts. Projects must address natural resource concerns on agricultural or nonindustrial private forest land. Up to $30 million is reserved specifically for programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes.
Financial assistance must comprise at least 75 percent of project budgets, with up to 25 percent allocated to technical assistance. Partner contributions must constitute a significant project component and may consist of cash or in-kind support. Funding is allocated equally between two pools: NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Area projects and state or multi-state projects.
Projects typically last five years, with anticipated award announcements approximately 60 days after the deadline and project start dates around November 2026. Eligible activities include land management, land rental, U.S.-held easements, entity-held easements, and watershed or public works projects. Projects must align with covered programs including EQIP, CSP, ACEP, CRP, HFRP, and Public Law 83-566.
Proposals are evaluated on impact (50 percent), partner contributions (20 percent), and partnerships and management capability (30 percent). Agency priorities include land management, soil health, farmer-focused projects, precision agriculture, and projects led by Indian tribes. All proposals require completion of a State Conservationist questionnaire at least four weeks before submission.
Assistance Listing: 10.932.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
Revised the number of expected number of awards. -
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for federal fiscal year (FY) 2026.
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-Classic-26-NOFO0001450
Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026.
Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2026 notices of
funding opportunity (NOFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-AFA-26-NOFO0001451.
The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services.
Partners use this notice to propose projects that improve natural resources in one or more states or focus on priority concerns in NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas (CCAs). NRCS works with these partners to plan and carry out projects on farms, ranches and private forest land. Through the program, NRCS can provide funding to support both partners and producers. Proposals are selected through a competitive process based on their impact, the partner's contributions, and how well the partnership is managed.
Up to $310 million is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA announcement using the Working Families Tax Cut Act, Public Law 119-21 funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Up to $30 million of the total available funding is being made available specifically for
NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA.
Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential.
Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below.
For More Information: Applicants must contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a State Conservationist questionnaire to guide the conversations in alignment with program requirements and state level agency needs. Proposals submitted without the benefit of the lead partner meeting with the State Conservationist to discuss how their project can meet agency needs and program requirements through a completed questionnaire risk receiving reduced ranking scores. Without having this meeting, potential partners will not be able to answer one or more of the questions within program rules and NRCS needs.
A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement's posting) is on the How to Apply to RCPP page.
Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.
2026 RCPP NOFO Applicant Resources This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)
Ÿ RCPP NOFO Applicant Webinar - June 30, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8329fd1-0409-4b9c-9f37-9e184fc7f84e@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697
Ÿ RCPP NOFO Applicant Easement Webinar - July 9, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/24547ad1-f99e-4161-a3ee-0bad228230c9@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697
Information on all webinars will be posted to the How to Apply to RCPP page.
Update #1 ·
Revised eligible applicants -
Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)
Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic for federal fiscal year (FY) 2026.
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-Classic-26-NOFO0001450
Assistance Listing: 10.932, Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Due Date: NRCS must receive proposals by 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 24, 2026.
Note: The RCPP Classic and Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA) FY 2026 notices of
funding opportunity (NOFO) will run concurrently. For information on AFA proposals please see Funding Opportunity Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP-AFA-26-NOFO0001451.
The RCPP promotes the coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through the RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that provide solutions to conservation challenges thereby measurably improving the resource concerns they seek to address. RCPP promotes collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and various communities, which is paramount to achieving equity in NRCS programs and services.
Partners use this notice to propose projects that improve natural resources in one or more states or focus on priority concerns in NRCS-designated Critical Conservation Areas (CCAs). NRCS works with these partners to plan and carry out projects on farms, ranches and private forest land. Through the program, NRCS can provide funding to support both partners and producers. Proposals are selected through a competitive process based on their impact, the partner's contributions, and how well the partnership is managed.
Up to $310 million is available for RCPP projects through this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA announcement using the Working Families Tax Cut Act, Public Law 119-21 funding. Proposals are accepted from all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and U.S. territories in the Pacific Island Areas (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Up to $30 million of the total available funding is being made available specifically for
NRCS to enter into programmatic partnership agreements with Indian tribes. This set aside will be shared by this announcement and the FY 2026 AFA.
Submissions: Proposals must be submitted through the RCPP portal. See section E of this announcement for information on using the RCPP portal to submit proposals. Access to the RCPP portal requires a level 2 eAuthentication credential or a Login.gov credential.
Obtaining a new Login.gov credential involves multiple steps and can take several days to complete. Instructions are posted on the How to Apply to RCPP web page listed below.
For More Information: Applicants must contact the appropriate State Conservationists and state RCPP coordinators prior to submitting a proposal. NRCS will use a State Conservationist questionnaire to guide the conversations in alignment with program requirements and state level agency needs. Proposals submitted without the benefit of the lead partner meeting with the State Conservationist to discuss how their project can meet agency needs and program requirements through a completed questionnaire risk receiving reduced ranking scores. Without having this meeting, potential partners will not be able to answer one or more of the questions within program rules and NRCS needs.
A list of state RCPP coordinators (as of the date of this announcement's posting) is on the How to Apply to RCPP page.
Applicants can also email the RCPP inbox (rcpp@usda.gov) with any questions about the announcement. The RCPP website is also a great source of current information about the program.
Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in one or more of the webinars below to learn about the program and how to apply.
2026 RCPP NOFO Applicant Resources This webinar will provide general information for applicants submitting proposals for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Please refer to the RCPP website for more information. Regional Conservation Partnership Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)
Ÿ RCPP NOFO Applicant Webinar - June 30, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8329fd1-0409-4b9c-9f37-9e184fc7f84e@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697
Ÿ RCPP NOFO Applicant Easement Webinar - July 9, 2026 - 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/24547ad1-f99e-4161-a3ee-0bad228230c9@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697
Information on all webinars will be posted to the How to Apply to RCPP page.
Files
Show all 11
On GovTribe
Work this opportunity
- Track it in your pipeline
- Find teaming partners
- Similar grant opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this opportunity